How does this fridge work?

[Rockinar]

New to me boat. My previous boat just had an ice box. How does this fridge work? The previous owner said you have to kick start it with a bag of ice or something. 🤷

[Richard Kollmann]

Kick starting with ice in evaporator is sometimes a solution when a system has not run for extended time in temperatures near 105 degrees F, or if system has excessive refrigerant in it. Cooling refrigerant in this bin evaporator on a cap tube type refrigerant charge will lower compressor starting torque by lowering refrigerant pressure.

[OzeLouie]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Kick starting with ice in evaporator is sometimes a solution when a system has not run for extended time in temperatures near 105 degrees F, or if system has excessive refrigerant in it. Cooling refrigerant in this bin evaporator on a cap tube type refrigerant charge will lower compressor starting torque by lowering refrigerant pressure.

Just to add to the Richard post above, it would be worth getting the system evacuated and correctly gas charged.

[Richard Kollmann]

The label on evaporator indicates it is a Adler Barbour unit containing 120 grams of refrigerant. Not knowing the compressor module number this unit might have R12 refrigerant or a substitute blend, in ether case I would invest agate further before investing $300 or more in a technician. If the compressor is a BD3, BD35 or BD50 it will have R34a refrigerant and be less expensive to change.

If you are able to get the unit running by kick starting it set thermostat to full cold and let it run as long as you can to compare frost cover against the amp draw and report the findings. Blended and contaminated refrigerants will display a different frost pattern than normal and amp draw will indicate possible refrigerant over charge.

[OS2Dude]

Inside the 'box' it is a is a 'freezer', outside a 'refrigerator'. Our IsoTherm unit is similar and is pre-charged. It is NOT rechargeable. To make it so would require soldering on a nipple, and that won't be cheap. The box in the picture is the evaporator plate. Somewhere you will have a compressor. (Ours in in the port lazarette.) Our unit is dual voltage, can run on 110v when available or 12v when 100v is not available.

[Dougtiff]

If the Unit doesn't have a Suction port for charging, you don't hafto SOLDER a charging port, clamp on ports are available and cheap, work well and don't leak, done it many times.

[Rockinar]

Originally Posted by OS2Dude

Inside the 'box' it is a is a 'freezer', outside a 'refrigerator'.

No idea. That was my guess. But I think the build sheet said something like “Electric cooler”. Its 1993 technology so who know 🤷*♂️

[OzeLouie]

Rockinar, the failure to start is either a power supply issue or a refrigerant problem. You can easily check the power supply by monitoring the DC voltage at the MDM's + and - terminals. (top two) with a multi-meter. If there is no problem with the power supply (voltage drop) then get the system evacuated, a new filter dryer fitted and re-gassed with R134a.
Not knowing the history you have to assume some dodgy work could have contaminated the system and only a complete clean up will resolve that.

[Richard Kollmann]

Rockinar, The previous owner's advice was a non destructive way to locate the trouble area and my post #4 will pinpoint the action necessary, hopefully without a costly repair. Information still not known is ether the model number of compressor or electronic control module. A picture of ether one will also identify if it is a AB cold machine or a CU100 design.